Halloween.

We carved our first ever pumpkin today on the occasion of Halloween. I bought the smallest pumpkin in the store, took the print out of a template and the carving instructions, laid out the table with newspaper, the required tools and the pumpkin, ofcourse. And then outsourced the dirty job to Hd.

Daughter and Father had fun together while I tried hard not to criticize the work of art in progress!! So heres the result. To actually see how small the pumpkin is, another one with Ashu in it. The pumpkin is exactly the size of Antus head now! :)


Happy Halloween, everyone! Boo!


ps.
Thanks Sundar for the inspiration! :)

Bloggers block. Bear with me.

In no particular order,


Diwali went well. We celebrated in Legoland, Germany. They had special fireworks to begin the Halloween season. The universe does conspire, does nt it?

Antu came back from India with Hd and gave me a cold shoulder. Was more excited to see Ashu than me. Whatever! I dont care. I dont.

Did a Diwali do for Ashus class today. Im a natural after all! whowouldathunk it? I had butterflies in my stomach today morning before I went to school like before an exam. But I aced it. The kids had a blast. Ashu was so proud and went around "my mommy, my daddy, my baby" to all her classmates. It was so cute.

Antu is in a stage where I want to bottle her up and gift it to everyone. Sigh! And then they turn four!

Winter is here. I ve decided to make the most of it. Im not going to whine. Im not, Im not.

I joined this gym a month back. It has a beautiful baby care and Antu ,though cries a little bit when I leave her, is fine staying there for an hour. It has been 2 weeks since I went for one reason or the other. Wondering if Antu will be ok when I start to go again. We are older and wiser now, you know?

Ashu is happy now that she can wear tights, cardigans, jackets, mittens, scarves and caps. Weird, this one.

The other day a friend asked Antu, "are you eating a banana" and she said "yeah"! Instant reply. It was so cute. I think this was the first time shes answered a Q on her own.

My mom might visit in November. Ashu is on could nine. Im sure Antu would be too if she understood the concept of future. Me? Im dreaming about the dinners and movies out with Hd. I am a simple girl, that way!

Ashu is at her silliest. Now I know why kids push each other a lot. Hell, I want to just push her, out of a window sometimes, when she just would nt see logic and want something absolutely impossible. Like what, you ask? The same pink cup her friend is drinking milk from. Wanting a friend to stay back after quarrelling with him the entire duration of the play date. The "I am right" attitude even when she spells Sofia as Sofea and I correct her. Only because she asked me if the spelling was right, ok? Otherwise why would I make the stupid mistake of saying Her Highness is wrong?

A word Antu picked up on her own without any one of us teaching her - Dora. Do I even have to explain this?

Got back in to mailing with some dear old college friends of mine and God it feels so good. Just to think about the college days. sigh! But then that means - no Hd or kids, right? Hey wait a minute! What am I complaining about? ;)

The other day Antu was looking at Ashu with so much adoration. I told Ashu, "Antu loves you, Ashu. She thinks you are the best in the whole world"! So Ashu tells Antu, "No Antu. Amma and Appa are the best in the whole world"! Kids do know how to play us, dont they?

Are nt conversations like this supposed to happen when she is in her teens?

Amma, I don't like you.
Its OK. You don't ve to like me.
I am not going to talk to you forever.
That's OK too.
You are not my friend anymore Amma.
OK.
Amma..
(interrupting) I don't want to hear one more word from you.
But...
I said ...
Can I say one thing, Amma?
WHAT?
I don't like you.
Fine.
Fine.

Antus sudden vacation.

You would never guess but Antu is in India. Hd had this official trip coming and he was to leave on Monday. On Sunday morning I ask him, "Why dont you take Antu with you? She does nt need a ticket. And conveniently my mom is in Bangalore visiting her family. So you can leave her there." Much to my surprise, Hd said yes. I spoke to my mom and she was thrilled. I was also feeling not too well and the thought of managing both the kids for one whole week while Im sick did nt seem like a good idea. So after a little hesitation, I asked him to call the airlines.

Ashu went to school on Monday morning protesting. "I want to go to India too amma. I want to see Paati Thatha too. Thatha told me that I can come there whenever I want." I told her we both can have lots of fun here and sent her to school. Dad and daughter left in the afternoon. The flight was ok, Hd said. Only a dozen people asked Hd, "you are traveling alone with the baby?" and helped him carry antu, carry the bags,.. Even a co passenger helped Hd to make Antu sleep, it seems! Not fair, I tell you! People actually shoved me and went when I traveled alone with TWO kids! So not fair!

My dad reached Bangalore the next day and Antu is having fun at my grandmas place. Poor thing is too young to know whats happening. I knew my mom could handle it. I could nt predict how Antu will be since shes a little clingy to me. Ashu had spent loads of time with my folks when she was a baby. Antu - comparitively less. My heart did break that Im sending her away from me. I ve not spent a day or night away from Ashu yet.(except during the hospital stay when Antu was born) She has never gone even to a town away. But now at 15 months, Antu is thousands of miles away from home. Its a strange feeling. I dropped Ashu at school today morning and came back to the silent house. I feel so alone. Not a good feeling. Whatever I did with my life pre kids? What did Ashu and I do before Antu? Sigh!

The duo will be back on Sunday. 4 more days. I ve all the time to do some shopping peacefully. But do I want to? Nah! Kids! They just screw our lives like nothing else does. Come back already, Antu. We miss you! Even though Ashu says she does nt, shes only jealous. And Hd! What were you thinking? As if you needed more brownie points!